Yankees Captain Derek Jeter Is Named One Of The Top Leaders In The World

Derek Jeter has been lauded for his remarkable leadership and poise during his two decades in pinstripes, and it seems that the 39-year-old is such a strong leader that his talents transcend baseball.

In a new list of the world's top leaders, published by Fortune, Jeter comes in 11th. That's 10 spots behind Pope Francis and, two behind the Dalai Lama and two in front of IMF managing director Christine Lagarde. Not bad for a ballplayer.

"As he begins his 20th and final season in pinstripes, Jeter remains the type of role-model player that even a Red Sox fan must grudgingly respect. It's not the five World Series rings he's won or his team record for career hits. In a steroid-tainted, reality-TV era, Jeter, the son of two Army veterans, continues to stand out because of his old-school approach: Never offer excuses or give less than maximum effort."

Jeter's accomplishments are too plentiful to list here, but the fact that he's produced one of the finest careers in sports history while avoiding scandal and disgrace in the nation's hottest media market attests to his sterling character. Of course, it's impossible to compare Jeter's skills to those of, say, Bono, but the fact that he even made the list is extremely impressive.

After Jeter, a trio of hoops coaches tied for 20th on the list. They are Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, San Antonio head man Gregg Popovich and South Carolina's Dawn Staley.